Papa, what makes a prince?
by Ms Puddle
Summary: Albert and Candy are now parents of two young children, and this short story is about them visiting Pony's Home and Lakewood for the first time as a family since the couple moved to London years ago.


**Disclaimer:** Candy Candy and all characters belong to Kyoko Mizuki, images to Yumiko Igarashi and anime to Toei Animation.

**Note: **This short story is a sequel to my other story "It must have been love", but it can be read by itself. It was written from Albert's point of view, mainly based on the facts from the manga version and the Candy Candy Final Story, the novel which was published by Mizuki in 2010.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. If you do, I would love to hear from you!

-Ms Puddleglum

**Papa, what makes a prince?**

"Papa, what makes a prince?" asks Anthony out of the blue from behind me. I'm carrying him on my back while walking along the river bank.

I am caught off guard, wondering what's going on in his little mind. He sounds tired but serious. For a while, the only sound is the rushing river, the songs of the birds, and the strong wind that rustles the trees surrounding us. About half a minute later, he repeats his question after a loud yawn. I can feel his warm breath near my nape.

"Why?" I throw a question back at him. "What stories did your mother read to you yesterday?"

"Not from a story..." he grumbles after another yawn.

Meanwhile, I wonder if Candy has told Anthony about that little secret between us. She still likes to address me as Prince on the Hill, which used to make me feel a creepy crawly on my back, but she does it when we are alone and she wants to show her affection to me.

Yet Anthony is a precocious boy who will turn four years old in three months. Since he likes us to read books to him in our spare time, he is quite knowledgeable for his age. Not to mention that he somehow senses whether our answers to his questions are serious or not. However, it's a little embarrassing to admit to my son that I'm his mother's 'prince'. The reason is simple. I'm not a royalty, and it's just a nickname Candy gave me when she was a little girl.

Hence, I merely give him a straightforward definition. "Well... a prince is the son of a king or a royal prince. For example, a king's brother is a royal prince, and his son is also a prince."

"In that case," he responds right away but pauses abruptly as though he needs to digest my answer. A few seconds later he follows up, "are you a king or a prince?"

I'm not surprised, and I'm now positive that his mother has indeed told him something about me, but I answer patiently, "No, I'm neither."

His little arms wrap around my neck tighter for a brief moment, and he asks, sounding confused, "But why did mom say-"

I cut him off, ceasing my steps and pointing upwards to the mighty eagle in the sky, "Look, son! Did you see that big bird?"

He cranes his neck and squints his eyes, trying to find something in the sky, but to no avail. "What big bird? You mean an eagle, papa?"

"Yes, it's up there! Just behind that tall tree-"

"I see it I see it!" he exclaims when he spots it at last, clapping enthusiastically. These mighty birds of prey can only be found in North America, so it is the first time he has ever seen a real bald eagle with his own eyes. At the same time, to have successfully distracted him certainly takes the load off my mind.

A short while later, it starts drizzling, so I resume hiking at a fast pace and start telling him why we use the eagle shape for our family insignia and the history behind it. Before long, Anthony falls asleep as expected, resting his tiny golden head against the crook of my neck. A couple of minutes later, I can hear him snore and feel him loosening his grip. I hunch forward and grab his legs tighter while continuing to traverse the terrain.

Like his parents, Anthony is adventurous and enjoys nature. That is why he has always wanted to see the animals that reside near the waterfall by the mountain lodge. His mother has told him countless times about me and the animals before this trip, so when we arrived at Lakewood yesterday, he couldn't wait to go near the waterfall. Yet the sun was already setting, so I suggested we go right after lunch the next day.

Today, he wasn't disappointed at all. First, as per his request, I showed him the spot where his mother had almost drowned many years ago. The loud gushing waterfall noise was a little frightening, and he glanced up at me, his eyes full of respect and admiration. Then he asked, "What was it like to swim in the rapids?"

I told him it was very dangerous, but I hadn't thought twice back then. I actually had had a long, tough rope tied around the trunk of a tree and myself before diving in. "Luckily, it wasn't hard to find your mother, but she had passed out..."

He had learned this from his mother, but I seldom mentioned it from my perspective. Now that he was here at the scene he got even more fascinated, so I promised him that when he was older and stronger one day, we would come back to swim together in the less turbulent part of the river.

After that, he said to me, "So, papa, where did you and mom stay last night?"

I showed him where the mountain lodge was. Once we were near, many cute critters came out to frolick with him, and he was amazed at how agile they were. Yet after running around with them for some time, the sun was beginning its gradual descent, and grey clouds had gathered, covering up the blue sky. "Anthony, we should head back before it starts to rain."

He agreed, albeit reluctantly. However, he seemed too exhausted to climb uphill, and he was having difficulties keeping up my slow pace. He had been the one who insisted on coming here on foot such that he could take the time to enjoy the scenery and surroundings. I was so glad he wanted to familiarize himself with the place where I had grown up as a boy. Our family had kept the whole area natural except there existed walking trails that meandered through the forest and meadow. I remembered how little I had known about my own father, so to avoid repeating the mistake, I tried to spend as much time alone with my son as possible, and this was undoubtedly a great opportunity to strengthen our father-son bond.

Later, when it was clear that he was short of breath, I planned to pick him up, but knowing that he could be stubborn sometimes, I asked, "Anthony, are you alright?"

With a weak nod, he continued dragging his tiny feet. Then I urged, "Great Aunt Elroy, your mother and baby sister are waiting for us to join them for dinner in the villa, and it's getting dark. We have to hurry."

After some struggles, he complained that his shoes were very heavy. Not wanting to worry Candy or my aunt, I questioned, "Want a piggyback ride, son?"

His blue eyes brightened up immediately, and he exclaimed with glee, "Hurray!" He always enjoyed piggyback ride because he could see a lot more at my height.

Now that he is taking his nap, he is slowly sliding down on my back. As drizzles turn to rain, I lift his body up slightly so that he is securely in place when I pick up my speed. At this moment, Anthony's question earlier flashes across my mind. I think Candy might have told Anthony about our very first encounter on the hill when we finally paid a long overdue visit to Pony's Home yesterday. A few years had gone by since our move to London, and my dear wife could have been taken over by nostalgia.

=o=o=o=

To expand our family business in Europe, Candy and I moved to London when she was pregnant with our first child, Anthony. He was born in autumn the same year. When he was around eighteen months old, Miss Pony had been feeling ill, and Candy was anxious that she wouldn't be able to see her mother again. However, after I had made some arrangements to take a break from work, we found out that Candy was pregnant with our second child. Not only that, she had serious morning sickness which lasted for months. Candy and I could only pray for Miss Pony, and thank God Miss Pony wrote to us that she had fully recovered. Later that year, Candy gave birth to our beautiful daughter, who had curly blond hair and emerald eyes like her mother. We named her Georgiana because my loyal friend, George, had essentially played Cupid for us. First, Candy could avoid being forced to marry Neil Leagan. I couldn't imagine what I would have done to my aunt or Neil otherwise.

More importantly, thanks to George, Candy had finally tracked me down and found out the truth about me. Sometimes she still addressed me as Uncle William to tease me. In the beginning, I hadn't liked that at all, and I would show her a troubled look, asking her to forgive me for concealing my identity from her for years. However, as time went by, I got used to her bantering. Whenever she called me Uncle William, I would respond by putting my arm around her. "Yes, Mrs. William Ardlay, how can I help you?" At that, she would often collapse into a giggle fit.

When Georgiana could walk with confidence, we decided to cross the Atlantic as a family of four in the summer. I had returned to America occasionally for business, but Candy and our children had not done so. This time, George also came with us, and we spent two days with our business partners in New York before we split. He went to Chicago while we set off for Pony's Home. My aunt had resided in the villa for many years, and she had visited us in London once every year. She adored our children and expected us to stay with her in Lakewood for about two weeks. I couldn't afford being away from work for this long, so I had to attend some business in Chicago, but I would return to join my family as soon as my work was done.

Thus, before going to Lakewood, we stopped by Pony's Home for a few hours first. Miss Pony and Sister Lane both burst into tears of joy when they saw that their precious daughter was now a young mother of two healthy children. As they embraced one another, Candy gave me a swift glance from her teary eyes. I grasped her unspoken thought, so I carried our daughter in my left arm and held our son's hand to walk over to them. Then Sister Lane laid her hands on their tiny heads and prayed for them, asking God to continue to bestow blessings upon us as a family. It was an emotional reunion, and I felt tears stinging my eyes too. At that instant, I promised God that I would do my best to love and protect them all.

Since the orphanage had been renovated and extended, it could welcome more orphans. Georgiana loved the company of many young kids her age, and while she was running around with them, Miss Pony teased that she was the exact replica of her mother except that she didn't have freckles on her nose. Candy explained that although the days in London weren't always cold and grey, drizzles and showers happened so often that the lack of sunshine was a known fact.

Both Miss Pony and Sister Lane were getting old, and they had heeded our advice to hire two young assistants, who were now taking the kids down to the river for fishing activities. However, Anthony took his mother aside, being impatient to set his foot on Pony's Hill, his mother's favorite refuge. I wanted to go with them too, but Georgiana would rather play with the other kids in the water. Therefore, we took separate routes.

After an hour or so, Georgiana got drowsy, and I let her lie in the cradle of my arms. The children's laughter and the rippling river sound soon lulled her to slumber. Watching her sleep, I had to agree with Miss Pony; she did resemble Candy a lot, especially her mother liked to tie her blond hair into two ponytails.

How would I ever forget that magical moment many years ago when I had witnessed a little girl having such an honest crying fit? At that point in my life, I myself had been having inner turmoils as well, but I had felt the strong urge to approach that crying girl for unknown reason. To my astonishment, she had managed to make me laugh heartily for the first time in years, and her charming smile after that had imprinted in my mind ever since.

Talking about her, where was Candy now? Didn't she say that she would join us by the river? I decided to find her and Anthony, so I informed the orphanage assistants, and I nestled sleeping Georgiana in my arms and sauntered up hill.

There they were, sitting side by side on one of the strong boughs of Candy's beloved tree, dangling their legs over the branch. They were talking indistinctively, and I guessed they had lost track of time. They were facing the other way, so when I appeared with Georgiana in front of them, Anthony perceived that his baby sister was fast asleep; he put his index finger on his mouth and made the "sshhh" sound, winking at me. I got the hint, so I waved my arm and headed back to the orphanage.

Soon an Ardlay car arrived at Pony's Home to pick us up, and Candy apprised her foster mothers of her plan to come back here again with her children when I left for Chicago for business. She would want to accompany Miss Pony and Sister Lane as much as possible, and her mothers unanimously said, "That's wonderful!"

Aunt Elroy was overjoyed to see her grandnephew and grandniece, and she welcomed them both with open arms. I knew that she was particularly fond of Anthony because he did look somewhat like my deceased nephew, but my aunt loved Georgiana too, whose cheerful giggles always delighted everyone around her. Not to mention that her crystal bright green eyes could easily melt people's hearts. Every time my aunt was with them, her attention was fully devoted to our future generation, seemingly forgetting her own problems in life.

I had informed my aunt prior to the trip of my wish to spend some quality time alone with my wife, and my aunt had hired a trustworthy nanny for this purpose. When meeting the middle-aged nanny, Sonya, it was comforting to see that the kids could readily accept her; her kind disposition was evident, like our nanny back in London. Therefore, we could continue to carry out our plan, which was to spend the night in the mountain lodge by ourselves.

During the course of the dinner with my aunt, we took the chance to catch up with one another. Although Aunt Elroy had long retired, she did keep track of the family business from time to time, and she was more than glad to know that we had been doing very well both in Europe and America. When it was time to ask about her health issues, she simply dismissed it by heaving a deep sigh. "Just same old stories. I'm really getting old I must say."

After that, she praised Candy for doing a marvelous job in raising our children. She acknowledged that our children might be a little on the wild side sometimes, but they were well mannered nonetheless. Then she remarked, "William, I hope you are planning to have more children, are you not?"

That was not entirely unexpected, but Candy's face was flushed anyway. Then Anthony wiped his mouth and asked, "I beg your pardon? Am I going to be a big brother again?"

To which his great aunt replied with a smile that went up to her eyes, "Won't you like that, my dear?"

"Certainly, I'd love to have a baby brother, not that I don't like my baby sister!" Everyone laughed in response although Georgiana pouted slightly. She didn't seem to understand what the commotion was about. At this moment, I spoke up, "Yes, Aunt Elroy."

She had no problem comprehending my brief answer, and her eyes beamed with joy. She then encouraged, "That's great! After all, Candice is still very young and healthy."

I surmise that the premature deaths of my father and my nephews had considerably affected my aunt over the years, and for the future of our family, her wish made perfect sense. In fact, both Candy and I loved children, and we had a mutual understanding that we didn't want our son Anthony to carry the burden of being the only heir, and if possible, we wanted to give him a brother to share the responsibilities.

=o=o=o=

My aunt had been considerate enough to prepare a boat for us to use, but I told her the swan boat that I had repaired long time ago carried special meaning to us, and it was well maintained, so I used that one instead. When bidding our kids goodnight, Candy said something to Sonya before we left the villa. Pacing towards the river hand in hand, I brought her hand to my lips, saying, "I miss you so much, Candy."

She smiled and glanced up from under her thick eyelashes, knowing exactly what I meant. "Me too," she whispered, squeezing my hand.

I had been working extra hard so that I could take some days off from work for this trip, and when I had got home late at nights Candy had gone to bed. While crossing the Atlantic, we had been sharing our room with the children, and she had been sleeping with Georgiana because our daughter had felt a bit seasick.

In addition, Candy herself had been feeling under the weather on and off for some time. I didn't blame her, but I couldn't ignore the fact that I hadn't touched my wife for nearly three weeks. My desire for her had become a physical ache lately. For the time being, while riding along the river on the boat with her, she looked remarkably enticing in the gathering twilight. My hands on their own volition began to stroke her face, and she gave me such a smile that I couldn't help undoing her chignon, releasing her long, burnished blond tresses. The way her hair was flying in the breeze made my pulse increase at a rapid rate. Unexpectedly, she asked me if I recalled how the fountain of this swan boat had malfunctioned once, causing the boat to sink.

"Oh yes... it was unforgettable!" I swallowed hard and finally confessed, "I exerted all my effort to avoid having eye contact with you after that... we were hardly clothed while waiting in front of the fireplace."

"Yes... you are always a gentleman," she murmured with a knowing smile, her eyes bored into mine. Under the dim moonlight, I could see the desires in her beautiful orbs. I gathered she was in the right mood, and a ravenous fire was consuming me too, my heart pounding like it wanted to jump out of my chest. Hence, I decided not to rein myself in any longer. I said, "I love you, Candy, always."

As she said she loved me too, I held her near to me and pressed my lips against hers. When our lips touched, it was amazing that I felt like this was our first night together, and she melted against me, her arms bringing me even closer to her. When I fondled her curves, her eager response to my caress sent jolts of electricity through my veins. Soon, we found that we were almost there; we exchanged a quick glance, and I hastily got the boat to the shore. Then we alighted the boat and scurried towards the mountain lodge, but we were laughing all the way like young kids.

After swinging open the door of the lodge, I slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, carrying her over the threshold and closing the door with my foot. She gave a soft gasp but snuggled up against my shoulder nevertheless, encircling my neck with her arms. I had to thank my aunt for sending someone to start the fireplace beforehand. The temperature had cooled down significantly by now. It was dark inside the lodge except the area near the fireplace. Unfortunately, while heading towards the bedroom, it seemed that the furniture had been rearranged, and I accidentally bumped into one unknown item. When I stumbled forward and fell near the hearth, she cried out, and I ended up landing on top of her, my nose buried in her soft bosom. This pushed my limit to the extreme, and I didn't know how much longer I could hold it. But as I was pushing myself up, I heard a husky groan from her throat. She tugged at my neck. "Take me _now_, Albert, don't hold back!"

Her urgency caused me to shovel everything else off my mind. It was clear she was just as hungry as I was, which only intensified my craving, so I was more than willing to oblige her request. As I brought my face down to hers, she kissed me with an abandon that left me breathless, her deep longing for me palpable. Yet within a minute I broke the kiss and half raised my upper body, gasping, "Candy... are you... uncomfortable... by any chance?"

I might be too heavy lying on top of her, and it was hardwood floor underneath the rug in front of the fireplace. After giving it a thought, she nodded. Thus, I hoisted her up into a sitting position instead, and we continued our passionate embrace on our knees, our hands already busy undressing each other. Candy had long learned not to feel shy to bare her body to her husband, and now the leaping flames in the fireplace were reflected on her delicate features and porcelain skin, making her look extraordinarily alluring. I found her body more feminine after giving births to two children, and I admired her womanly figure all the more.

How I missed savoring every inch of her flesh from her toes to her lips while she moaned and squirmed in delight. The sensations of our hot sweaty skins rubbing against each other were overwhelming. Before long, we began our frenzy dance, unleashing the pain of our yearnings we had suffered without each other for so long. As she exploded in ecstasy afterwards, she screamed, "Oh my prince!"

She did it every time when she was sated, and I continued to take her until the onslaught of my climax. I let out a satisfied growl, and my body finally collapsed onto hers. I must admit our union had been a rapturous experience, and I hoped she felt the same.

Having appeased our hunger, we lay down on the rug before the fire, our bodies slick with sweat and our breathing ragged. We clung onto each other for a while, gradually drifting down from the heights of our passion. As she nestled her head on my bare chest, I held her tight in my arm, running my fingers through her blond curls. Later, when my panting slowed down, I uttered, "You're amazing, Candy, and our pleasure couldn't have been more tremendous."

She acknowledged, cupping my face, and we kissed tenderly and languidly this time, not wishing to part until I asked if she wanted to bathe together. She nodded, an amorous smile crossing her features. Then I carried her in my arms as she buried her face in my neck, and I headed directly towards the bathroom.

After the warm bath, we found some new changing clothes for us tomorrow and a set of silk pajamas of matching design. They were neatly folded on the bed, which looked brand new to me. No wonder Aunt Elroy had told us not to worry about bringing our personal belongings, and she might have renovated the lodge and purchased new furniture. I guess we would find out tomorrow.

Also, there was a brief note from my aunt on top of the bedside table,

_'Dear William, enjoy your stay with your young wife. Please join us for lunch, and I will send a car to pick you up around noon. Aunt Elroy.'_

Then I helped Candy unwrap the towel from her petite frame and used it to dry her hair. Even though my body desired my young wife again, she was visibly tired after the long eventful day, so I pretended to be exhausted too. After that, she put on her negligee as I wore my pajamas. The fabric was so soft and light, if not flimsy. As we lay between the sheets in the comfortable king sized bed, I held her in my arms and closed my eyes. It didn't take her long to drift off into dreamland. I felt so peaceful for the time being with the soft body of my loving wife pressed against mine in her sleep, and her rhythmic breathing sounded like a lullaby.

=o=o=o=

When the predawn light seeped in through the blinds the next morning, I opened my eyes and turned to look at the angel lying next to me. Sleeping on her side facing me, her golden locks fanned across the pillow. The last trace of sleep instantly left me when I noted that her silk negligee could barely conceal her full breasts, flaunting her deep cleavage. My body couldn't help but react to what came into my vision, and how tantalizing it was to watch her chest rise and fall in her slumber. I longed to lose myself in her passion again. Yet, knowing that she was a sleepy head, and it was still very early, I pulled the blanket to cover her and tried to make myself fall back to sleep. Some long moments of struggles later, my empty stomach compelled me to go grab something to eat in the kitchen.

The pantry had enough food for our breakfast, and before I started, I took off my pajamas top in case I would soil it while cooking. Just when I was cracking the eggs into a mixing bowl, I felt two arms snake around my torso from behind. Startled yet pleased, I said without turning, "Good morning, Candy!"

She moved her hands upwards to my chest, her cheek and her supple chest brushed against my back. "Good morning, Prince on the Hill."

It was her subtle way to express her affection to me, but I feigned ignorance and asked with a chuckle, "My dear wife, what do you want for breakfast?"

"Mmmm..."

While she was seriously considering her options, I suddenly loosened her grip and whirled myself around; it happened so fast that before she could respond, I drew her close to me by putting my left arm around her slender waist from behind her back. As she giggled, I held her right hand and nuzzled her cheek, saying softly, "I'm hungry. How about you?"

I was hungry in both senses. She gave me a firm nod and tilted up her chin, her sparkling eyes fixed on mine. With a charming smile, she said, "I'm famished, and I'd like scrambled eggs with pancakes please, honey."

"Yes, ma'am!" I played along and resumed my cooking. She helped me out right beside me, and soon I was making pancakes while she prepared the scrambled eggs.

When we were relishing the scrumptious breakfast, she jestingly remarked, "I suppose Aunt Elroy will faint if she sees us eating without being properly dressed."

I gave a loud guffaw just to imagine how my aunt would have reacted. "Well, she won't find out, and this is our haven. We can do whatever we see fit."

Soon, I felt quite full, but Candy had very good appetite this morning. Was it possible that I had misinterpreted her hint to me earlier?

I determined to figure it out. First, I pulled my chair behind her while she was working on her food and started gently combing her hair with my fingers. She responded, "It's a mess, isn't it?"

"Not at all. I love your luscious curls," I breathed to her ear in my tender voice. "I'm so glad you didn't follow the trend and cut your hair short like your friends Annie and Patty did."

Then I put all her hair on one side and massaged her shoulders. When my fingers nearly reached her breasts, she took a sharp intake of breath and stopped eating, heaving a sigh of pleasure afterwards. But I moved my hands back up to massage her bare arms in slow motion and started planting lingering kisses across her upper back. As I pulled one of her shoulder straps over her shoulder, a moan escaped her throat, and she whipped herself around to gaze at me, her green eyes brimming with anticipation. A rosy blush appeared in her cheeks, and she looked indescribably lovely, so I kissed her full on her mouth. I could taste the syrup on her lips, so I licked her mouth teasingly, and she smiled against my mouth. Later, I broke off and started trailing kisses along the satin skin of her collarbone, my hands roaming her voluptuous curves unhurriedly. As my hands sneaked under her thin negligee to explore her velvety body, she moaned and arched in response. Only then I realized that she wore nothing else underneath, which sent waves of erotic feelings throughout my whole being. How could I resist her sensual invitation? I heard my own husky voice, "Do you want the bed or the couch?"

"The bed!" she answered in a rush, her eyes dripping with desire.

With raging fire searing my insides, I slipped my hands under her bottom and lifted her up. She yielded to me completely, clinging to my neck and wrapping her legs around my waist as I began to make our way towards the bedroom. The next thing I knew we lost ourselves in ecstasy, making love two times in a row. We felt literally spent after that, basking in our afterglow with our bodies entwined. Some moments of pleasant silence later, our breathing evened out, and she asked me if she could go back to sleep. "Of course, sweetheart."

I gently stroked her bangs aside and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. A satisfied smile spread wide across her face before she shut her eyes. Meanwhile, I marveled at our incredibly wild moments earlier. Was it what people called the sublime happiness or blissful contentment? At any rate, I couldn't have asked for more. Before long, I dozed off as well.

When I opened my eyes again, it was full morning. I swiftly slid off the bed and took a quick shower. As I got myself dressed, Candy came in to the bathroom with a frown, complaining, "Why didn't you wake me up too?"

Her forthright question made me raise my brow. "Sorry... I didn't know you wanted to shower together."

She flung herself to me and hugged me tightly, whimpering, "Do you have to leave for Chicago tomorrow?"

"Unfortunately yes," I replied in a regretful tone. "But who knows? If things go well, I may be able to come back earlier. If that's the case, we will return to this lodge again, I promise."

There were beats of silence. We had discussed before. She could have gone to Chicago with me, but I would spend most of my time in the office anyway. Besides, part of her goal of this trip was to keep Miss Pony and Sister Lane company. Therefore, she pulled herself together and uttered, "Hopefully we get to come back here once more before we go back to London."

After her shower, we went strolling along the meadow. This whole area was full of cherished memories for us, and we kept reminiscing until one of the chauffeurs arrived to pick us up for lunch. Candy remembered that I had promised to bring Anthony here again after lunch, and she teased, "Don't spoil him too much with your love."

I shook my head and protested, "Same to you, my dear."

As a matter of fact, I saw myself in Anthony, and sometimes I couldn't help thinking that I wanted to fulfil my dream through him or that I wanted to make up for things that I had lacked as a boy. I had been a lonely kid, and I certainly didn't want history to repeat itself.

=o=o=o=

So what exactly did Candy say to Anthony yesterday while they were up on Pony's Hill? When I have a chance, I will ask her.

As we are getting near the villa, torrents of rain pour down and stabs of lightning flash, followed by loud booms of thunder. Inevitably, Anthony is awoken by that, and he is terrified. "Don't worry, Anthony, we will be back before you know it."

Just then, we hear a horse neigh, and a horseman appears out of nowhere, striding towards us. "Master William and Master Anthony!"

Another horseman follows right after, and he explains, "Madam Elroy has sent us to look for you both. We're sorry that it has taken us a while to track you down."

The second horseman then dismount and lets us take his horse while he and the first horseman head back first to report to my aunt. I hitch Anthony up before I straddle on the horse myself. I ask Anthony to hold on to the reins before I give a gentle kick on the horse's flank.

When we have reached the grand entrance of the villa later, the butler shows up and says, "Master William, let me take care of the horse. Madam Elroy is waiting for you and Master Anthony in the rose garden."

My aunt might have worried. After all, we are the only male descendants in the family. She can't bear any more loss in the family, so I tell myself no matter how she lashes out at us later, I will just keep my mouth shut and let her vent. I also need to thank her when she calms down later; the mountain lodge is indeed furnished with new wooden furniture.

From afar, noises and laughters filled the air, and I see a large pavilion set up in the rose garden. Then I hear a familiar voice from my left, "There you are, Uncle William!"

"Hi Archie!" He has to address me formally when my aunt is around. Otherwise, he will just call me Albert like he used to. Then his son, Stear, sprints toward us. "Anthony, I've been waiting for you!"

Stear is slightly younger than Anthony. Strictly speaking, Anthony is Stear's uncle, but they get along very well like brothers even though they don't see each other a lot. Then Aunt Elroy finally appears with the nanny, and I expect a harsh reprimand from my aunt, but instead, she merely admonishes, "William, both you and Anthony are soaked and soiled, go get freshened up and join us later. Candice has organized a party for you."

"So where is Candy?"

"Georgiana was playing with Ingrid just now and fell down. She scraped her elbows and knees, so her mother took her inside to nurse her wounds."

Ingrid is the daughter of Archie and Annie, Stear's big sister. So I speak to Sonya, the nanny, "Help Anthony clean up and get changed."

"Certainly, Sir. I will take care of Master Anthony."

Then I go back to my bedroom and wash up too. After changing into clean clothes, I look for Candy in Georgiana's room. I knock on her door, and Candy is the one who greets me. After giving me a kiss, she explains, "Georgiana rather play with Ingrid in her room, so I said I would come back to get them in ten minutes."

The party is to celebrate my birthday last month. It is a belated one, but I thank my wife for her thoughtfulness nonetheless. In addition, it serves as a reunion for all of us. When Patty and her husband Scott arrive about half an hour later, the rain storm has stopped, and the air smells so fresh in the garden. Everyone has a great time catching up too. Patty is late in her pregnancy, and it's her first child, but she looks radiant, and Scott is nervous as an expecting father. However, he does ask us lots of questions, and Annie and Candy have funny stories to share as mothers. We all ensure Scott that he will make a good father.

Later, when everyone sits down chatting away, enjoying the delicious birthday cake, Candy takes my hand and gestures me to take a walk with her. When we are far enough from others, I stop in my tracks, looking at her and waiting. Then she whispers, "Darling, I'm expecting again."

My eyes are widened in shock and disbelief because she suffered a lot from morning sickness in her previous pregnancies. She observes my reaction and unravels, "You know I've been feeling unwell lately, but no morning sickness, right?"

"Yes," I admit, nodding.

"Yet I often feel fatigued and my appetite insatiable. My cycle is about ten days late too, so I talked to Aunt Elroy while you were away with Anthony, and she wanted our family doctor to check."

"So he has confirmed?"

As she nods in exhilaration, I rejoice at the good news. "What a stupendous birthday present!"

Then I gather her in my arms jubilantly and kiss her to my heart's content. I can't be a happier man, but when I taste some salty tears near her lips some time later, I gently withdraw myself from her and ask, "What's the matter?"

"Oh, it's just tears of happiness..." she murmurs, hiding her face in my chest.

"Come on, Candy," I utter, knowing that she's not being entirely honest with me. After some coaxing, she confesses, "I miss you already, Albert. Pregnancies always make me emotional. I want you by my side, but I don't want you to work too hard."

So I tell her I will do my best. When I get to the head office the following afternoon, I realize George has done plenty of preparation with other managers, so things are progressing well, and I can actually join my family in Lakewood two days earlier than planned.

As promised, Candy and I return to the mountain lodge after spending some quality time with our children for most of the day. We can't wait to express our love and passion to each other once we get to the lodge, and after that, we put on our clothes and go outside for stargazing.

We lie down together on a large blanket and admire the awe-inspiring, star studded night sky. It is stunning beyond words, and some moments later, Anthony's question to me about princes resurfaces in my head. "Candy, did you tell Anthony about me as Prince on the Hill?"

"No," she replies, shaking her head. She seems genuinely surprised too. "Why?"

Then I apprise her. With a bewildered frown, she contemplates a moment. Then something dawns on her. She exclaims, her eyes excited, "Oh I remember now!"

I prop myself up on my elbow, waiting to hear the story. Then she starts, "Anthony has known many fairy tales by heart, so the day when we first arrived on Pony's Hill, he raised a question when we were sitting up on a tree."

"What was his question?" I am curious.

"He said, 'Most of the fairy tales are about princes or princesses. Since I am not a prince, will I find someone I love in the future, like you and papa?'"

"So what did you say to him?"

Candy laughs but does not answer me. I grab her hands a moment later and plead jokingly, "Please, don't keep me in suspense, sweetheart."

She responds after giving me a peck on my lips, "I told him that one day he would be a prince to a special lady in his life. They might not have realized in the beginning, but time would prove that they were meant for each other. They would be kind and loving, with sincere interest in putting each other's happiness first."

"Nice answer, Candy, but I wonder how much Anthony understood it."

She ignores my bantering remark and continues, "Then Anthony asked, 'how will I know whom I'm supposed to spend my life with?'"

"And?" I prompt, holding her close to me while rubbing her back.

"Then I said that he would be drawn to his true love unknowingly, as though by some unseen threads, like his mother and father. Eventually, his heart would point her out to him."

"So was he satisfied with your explanation?"

She shakes her head, grinning at me. "He couldn't quite comprehend the concepts, and he seemed stuck at the notion that he was not a prince, so I encouraged him that it was something he could work on, and he might want to ask you for advice and suggestions-"

She pauses and glances me before she resumes, "I told Anthony, 'Because your father is my best friend and forever my prince.'"

With that, I pull her to me and seal her lips with my own, our tongues probing each other and our lips smacking passionately. We stay this way for a few minutes before I break the kiss, suggesting, "Let's go back inside and continue, shall we?"

She nods right away. In no time, we are back to the king sized bed and do what lovers do.

THE END

=o=o=o=

**Author's note:**

As promised on my blog (you can find the link on my profile page), this is a short story written specifically for Albert's birthday. The cover image is my original drawing, depicting one of the scenes in the story. You can view a bigger image on my blog if you haven't seen it. Thank you for reading, and please don't forget to write a review! If you find any mistake, please don't hesitate to let me know. Thank you and have a great summer!

=o=o=o=

Revised: June 24, 2013


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